Figuring out what is fair and equitable no easy task

When life is fair, there will be an answer to one of the two most provocative questions of my lifetime, what came first the chicken or the egg? Or what is a fair and equitable solution for the wonderful piece of property along U.S. 278 and the besieged Okatie River, commonly known as the Graves property, that will benefit both the owners of the land and the citizens of Beaufort County who want to restore the river? If a casino ever opens in Hardeeville, I might put my money on the egg.

At last week’s planning commission meeting, the request to rezone the property to a more intense commercial and residential classification than it is currently was considered and ultimately referred to County Council with no recommendation because of a tie vote.

However, arguments were made that any owner should have the right to develop his or her property any way he or she wishes, sounds good and patriotic, but we live in a land of laws, some of which include zoning regulations. Therefore, it seems to follow that the owner has the right to develop his property within the existing laws or zoning regulations. He does not have the right to develop it in a manner outside the existing ordinance governing that area.

Next came the discussion that our new stormwater ordinances will allow for the protection of the doomed Okatie River. When was the last time I have heard that justification? Go back 10 or so years before the glut of development on and around our rivers and streams began in earnest, the exact same thing was said, only to find out we were not as smart as we thought and had to modify and modify and modify those ordinances.

We would like to think we have it right this time but based on past experiences, we should err on the side of caution, not on false bravado that we have it right this go-around. Time will tell. Even one of our local barristers, always a bastion of truth, justice and the American way, stated that we have failed miserably in protecting our rivers.

Finally was the statement by the owners that they are willing to listen to offers from the Beaufort County Open Land Trust to either outright purchase the property or put some sort of conservation easement on it, probably the most prudent solution for all parties. However the ultimate question is at what price?

Reasonable people should be able to make reasonable decisions, the owners are agreeable to selling and preserving the property and the county is in the business of buying and preserving property to the tune of already authorizing $90 million and asking the voters to approve an additional $25 million. Can’t we find middle ground to save the most picturesque and environmentally sensitive piece of property left south of the Broad River?

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